Mandatory evacuations are in place after a raging fire continues to burn near Yosemite National Park, threatening nearly 5,000 homes. The blaze has grown to 45, 724 acres Wednesday and is only 7 percent contained. (KABC)

KFSN

By Brianna Ruffalo and Nathalie Granda

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

FRESNO, Calif. --

Mandatory evacuations are still in place after a raging fire continues to burn near Yosemite National Park, threatening nearly 5,000 structures.

By Wednesday, the fire had grown to 45,724 acres and was only 7 percent contained.

Gov. Jerry Brown has issued a state of emergency for Mariposa County, where about 2,000 people are under a mandatory evacuation order.

Cal Fire said steep terrain and strong winds have been creating challenges for them over the past three days, causing the raging blaze to burn more than 45,000 acres.

"We did have a problem earlier today with embers landing and creating spot fires outside of the area we have been concentrating on," Cal Fire Capt. Jerry Fernandez said.

As firefighters work around the clock to get the blaze contained, Humphrey said he will wait to see if it inches closer to his home. If it does, he is going to use a flashlight to get first responders' attention to save him and his dog Serene.

"My dog is my scariest part, the fire can have me, but I won't give my dog up. She deserves to live on, I'm at peace with myself. The Lord can take me when he takes me," he said.

It is also important to note that there is a hospital and jail nearby. Officials said that the patients and inmates are not being evacuated and that at this time it is safer to keep them where they are than to move them to a new location.

Conditions:The communities of Hunters Valley, Bear Valley, and Hornitos continue to be threatened as the fire encroaches on culturally and historically sensitive areas.

Traffic along HWY 41 & 49 will be impacted as a result of road closures on HWY 49. The fire continues to threaten power lines to the south of the incident, which supply power to Yosemite National Park.

Firefighters on the ground as well as aircraft are actively working to contain and suppress the fire. CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 4 assumed command of the incident at 1000 hrs. from the Madera, Mariposa, Merced Unit.